What Biosphere does

Biosphere (legal entity: Biosphere Responsible Tourism Inc.) is a private sustainability certification organization founded in 2000 and headquartered in Spain, with operational reach across 77 countries. It provides an annual subscription-based, 100% online certification system under which individual companies, hotel chains and groups, and tourism destinations (municipalities, regions, territories) certify sustainability plans aligned with the 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals. Indicators used in the certification are designed in collaboration with the UN-Sustainable Development Solutions Network (UN-SDSN), and the offering is positioned as compliant with international and European sustainability directives, with a third-party external annual audit included in the subscription at no additional cost.

The underlying technology is a web-based certification platform with guided onboarding, real-time sustainability practice recognition, and a virtual campus for credentialed training. The ecosystem extends beyond the core certification products to include the Biosphere Community platform (a public map of certified members), a Discounts & Rebates program linking certified destinations to member companies, and strategic collaborations with the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) for international sustainability standardization and with the Responsible Tourism Institute as the originating partner. Biosphere reports over 4,000 certified members and 25+ years of operating history, but operates with a lean team of 8 employees and discloses no revenue, funding, or pricing tiers. Named customers include Apple Leisure Group Europe, Destination Greater Victoria, and the municipality of Alvaiázere, indicating a mix of enterprise hospitality, regional tourism authorities, and municipal government buyers.

The go-to-market is community-led and entirely self-serve online: customers enter through a free start option, are guided through certification workflows, and pay an annual subscription that bundles certification, third-party audit, and training. Distribution is direct and digital across geographies, with marketing support from a blog, social channels (Facebook, Instagram, X, LinkedIn, TikTok, Bluesky), newsletters, and industry event participation.

Name

Biosphere

Legal name

Biosphere Responsible Tourism Inc.

Website

https://biosphere.pt

Company type

Private

Founded year

2000

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Biosphere is a private, Spain-based sustainability certification organization that, via an annual subscription platform, certifies companies, hotel chains, and tourism destinations against the 17 UN SDGs, serving 4,000+ members across 77 countries.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Sustainability Certification

NAICS

Environment, Conservation and Wildlife Organizations (813312)

SIC

Services-Prepackaged Software (7372), Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Sustainability & Environmental Certifications (Carbon, Water, Regenerative) (AFALAMAC)

akta.pro secondary industry

Environmental, Climate & Sustainability Standards & Reporting Cooperation (BPADANAI)

Keywords

• Sustainability certification
• ESG certification
• Responsible tourism
• Destination certification
• Sustainability training

Headquarters

HQ city

Not specified

HQ country

Spain

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Annual Certification Subscription: Annual subscription-based model providing access to the guided online certification process, third-party external annual audit, virtual campus training, and ongoing certification maintenance. The subscription enables companies and destinations to create and certify personalized sustainability plans with continuous improvement support.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Biosphere provides an annual subscription-based sustainability certification system delivered 100% online and aligned with the 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals. Subscribers receive a guided certification process, a third-party external annual audit at no additional cost, real-time sustainability plan management, and access to a Virtual Campus for training. Certifications are offered for individual companies, hotel chains/groups, and tourism destinations (municipalities and regions).

Product overview

Biosphere offers a sustainability certification ecosystem consisting of three core certification products: Biosphere Certification for Individual Companies, Biosphere Certification for Chains and Groups, and Biosphere Certification for Destinations. These are supported by a Virtual Campus for online training and a Community platform for member engagement. The certification system operates on an annual subscription model with a 100% online guided process including third-party external audits, ESG criteria connected with the 17 UN SDGs, and indicators designed with UN-SDSN. Companies can also access a Discounts & Rebates Program if located within Biosphere destinations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Biosphere Certified Destination: Certification program for tourism destinations demonstrating sustainable practices
• Biosphere for Companies
• Biosphere Virtual Campus

Products and services

• Biosphere Certification for Individual Companies Annual subscription-based sustainability certification program for individual companies seeking to demonstrate commitment to sustainability aligned with the 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals. Includes a 100% online guided certification process and a third-party external annual audit, plus real-time sustainability plan management.
• Biosphere Certification for Chains and Groups Certification program designed for hotel chains and groups to achieve sustainability certification across multiple properties under a unified framework aligned with UN SDGs. Delivered via an annual subscription with guided online certification and third-party audit.
• Biosphere Certification for Destinations Certification program for tourism destinations (municipalities, regions, territories) to certify responsible tourism practices and align with the 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals. Delivered as an annual subscription with online guided certification and third-party audit.
• Biosphere Virtual Campus Online training platform offering courses on sustainability practices, sold to users who receive credentials upon course purchase. Accessible independently of the company certification subscription.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 4,000 certified members globally
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStrategic collaboration between Biosphere and WTTC for international standardization in sustainability. The partnership aims to create a clear and homogeneous path for the travel and tourism industry in sustainability practices, joining efforts to establish unified standards aligned with UN SDGs.
• UN-SDSN (UN-Sustainable Development Solutions Network)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for developing sustainability indicators aligned with UN Sustainable Development Goals. UN-SDSN provides the framework for Biosphere's indicator design, ensuring scientific credibility and alignment with global sustainability standards.
• Responsible Tourism InstitutecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProject originator and partner behind Biosphere certification. Responsible Tourism Institute developed the Biosphere methodology and continues to support the certification system's development and international expansion.
• Apple Leisure Group EuropeminorGTM or Marketing PartnerMajor hospitality group using Biosphere certification for sustainability practices. Executive testimonial endorses Biosphere as understanding company needs for employee and client engagement in ESG practices.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Emerging players

• Rainforest Alliance: International sustainability certification organization best known for agriculture and forestry but increasingly covering tourism and hospitality supply chains. Partially overlapping ESG certification footprint with UN-SDG alignment.
• B Corp (Certified B Corporation): Wide-reach sustainability certification for businesses measuring social and environmental performance, covering many tourism operators. Cross-vertical ESG certification that overlaps with Biosphere's company-level value proposition.

Direct peers

• Green Destinations: International program for certifying and promoting sustainable destinations at municipal and regional level. Direct competitor to Biosphere's destination certification product for municipalities and tourism regions.
• EarthCheck: Science-based benchmarking and certification for the travel and tourism industry, serving hotels, destinations, and tour operators with annual certification and benchmarking. Directly comparable subscription certification model with third-party audit.
• Green Key: International sustainability certification program for hospitality and tourism, operating an eco-label for hotels, accommodations, and tourism businesses. Directly comparable to Biosphere's company-level certification for hotels and tourism operators.
• Travelife: Sustainability certification system specifically designed for hotels, tour operators, and travel agencies, with online tools and training aligned to international standards. Closely comparable certification + training model for tourism companies.

Broad incumbents

• Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC): International body that sets and manages global standards for sustainable tourism and acts as an accreditation body for national certification schemes. Comparable as the umbrella standard-setter that Biosphere aligns with via UN-SDSN.
• Bureau Veritas: Global testing, inspection, and certification (TIC) major providing sustainability and ESG certification across industries including hospitality. A large incumbent that could replicate or absorb niche tourism certification schemes.
• SGS: Leading global certification, inspection, and testing company with sustainability services spanning tourism, hospitality, and ESG reporting. Represents the broader TIC incumbent landscape that competes with specialist certifiers.

Others

• Responsible Tourism Institute: Originator and ongoing partner behind the Biosphere methodology, also operating its own Responsible Tourism certification programs. Strategic parent-like ally that is also a competing certifier in the same space.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/BiosphereSust
• Facebookfacebook.com/biospheresustainable
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/biosphere
• Instagraminstagram.com/biospheresustainable
• TikToktiktok.com/@biospheresustainable

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Biosphere